As with other engineering disciplines, it is becoming more and more common in software engineering education to address issues wider than mere technical knowledge. While much of the material in this book is applicable to any branch of engineering, there are several topics of great professional and public concern which impact primarily on software engineers. These are: the effect of new technology on employment; the safety and reliability of computer systems; intellectual property rights in software; computer contracts; computer misuse. This final year undergraduate textbook brings together the expertise and experience of academics in software engineering, law, industrial relations and health and safety. The book explains the central principles and issues which each field brings to software engineering.